This talk explains how precise timekeeping underpins technologies like GPS and how atomic clocks achieve extreme accuracy using atomic oscillations. The research explores a new “active atomic clock” where atoms generate their own light, enabling even greater precision. Improved clocks could advance navigation, physics research, and our understanding of the universe.

This research uses a scanning tunneling microscope to visualize and measure individual atoms using quantum tunneling. By mapping surfaces atom-by-atom and probing electronic properties, it advances technologies such as nanowires, superconductors, and atomic-scale chips. Understanding materials at the quantum level enables better design of devices that impact energy, computing, and sustainability.